


Turning Japanese

by gonnaflynow



Series: Eruri Week 2014 [4]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: American Erwin, Eruri Week, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese-American Levi, M/M, eruri - Freeform, otaku, weeaboo-ass nerds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-01-03
Packaged: 2018-03-05 05:40:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3108167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gonnaflynow/pseuds/gonnaflynow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erwin Smith, American otaku extraordinaire, finally gets to live his dream of visiting Japan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Turning Japanese

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin arrives in Japan. It's everything his heart desires and then some. He also buys a lot of merch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh no, I've gone and started a second series during eruri week. whatever. weeb Erwin is the most important thing in the world.
> 
> based on those flippin' [yukata](http://wikiwiki.jp/shingekih/?plugin=attach&refer=%A5%C7%A1%BC%A5%BF%2F%A5%AF%A5%E9%A5%B9%2F%A5%A8%A5%EB%A5%F4%A5%A3%A5%F3&openfile=%A5%A8%A5%EB%A5%F4%A5%A3%A5%F3_%C5%C1%C5%FD%BC%B0%B2%C6%B5%A8%CD%D1%BA%D7%C9%FE.jpg) [pictures](http://wikiwiki.jp/shingekih/?plugin=attach&refer=%A5%C7%A1%BC%A5%BF%2F%A5%AF%A5%E9%A5%B9%2F%A5%EA%A5%F4%A5%A1%A5%A4&openfile=%A5%EA%A5%F4%A5%A1%A5%A4_%C5%C1%C5%FD%BC%B0%B2%C6%B5%A8%CD%D1%BA%D7%C9%FE.jpg) from Wings of Counterattack and also [this post](http://ackersexual.tumblr.com/post/97816771977/gomenasai-my-name-is-erwin-sama-im-a-40-year)

Erwin Smith stepped off the plane and took a long, deep breath. Morning mist swirled around him, the sun a veiled threat behind the mountains in the distance and threatening to burst the quiet serenity at any moment. He couldn't hold back his huge grin any longer. 

"At last," Erwin murmured absentmindedly, reaching a hand through the haze towards the mass of buildings looming opposite the mountains, just waiting for the touch of daylight. 

"At last. Nippon."

 

 _I've finally touched down in Tokyo,_ Erwin typed furiously as he ambled through the airport. _It's everything I imagined and more. I'll be updating my tumblr continuously during my trip, so if there's anything or anywhere you want me to see or go to, send me a message and I’ll check it out. Nothing is off-limits! I want to see as much of authentic Japan as possible and make the most of my time here. Ja mata ne!   —Erwin-sama_

“I’m glad I picked up a Japanese SIM card,” Erwin sighed. “I want to be sure and record _everything_.”

The ride to the hotel was even better than arriving at Haneda Airport. In between bouts of conversation with the driver (some in Japanese, which the driver tolerated with a smile, already used to the behavior of foreigners), Erwin found himself glued to the window like a child in a candy store, eyes wide and bright as he took in everything around him. They arrived at the hotel faster than he could believe, and Erwin had to restrain his elation and the urge to skip in the door once he had his bags in hand. He decided to spend the night holed up in his room making detailed plans for the next day, not even stopping for dinner, and finally passed out at two in the morning, mind and body both buzzing with glee.

 

Not wanting to wait to get to the good stuff, Erwin decided that his first destination would have to be Akihabara. It was no secret that the man was in over his head with his obsession with Japanese otaku culture, so he thought it would be a good idea to get the majority of his shopping out of the way first so he could move on to more experiential things for the rest of the trip. He even had a special part of his budget set aside for whatever piqued his interest in Akihabara, so he could feel free to buy merchandise to his heart’s content. He tugged on his 2-in-1 zip-off khakis, his favorite _Neon Genesis Evangelion_ shirt, and lime-green Vibram shoes, and took to the streets.

Erwin’s hotel was only a twenty minute walk from the densest part of Akihabara, and after a quick breakfast of pork buns and coffee, it didn’t take him long to dive right into the shops and sights. There were more cosplayers than he could keep track of (the abundance of maids advertising nearby maid cafés were simultaneously fascinating and horrific – Erwin couldn’t imagine someone working in platform heels and a skirt so short day after day, not to mention the strange customers they were sure to encounter), and row after row of shops selling electronics, video games, doujinshi, and more anime and manga merchandise than he could keep track of. 

Just after polishing off a midday snack, the weight of his backpack about to start taking a toll on his shoulders, Erwin stumbled across a modest storefront bearing a name he heard mentioned in guidebooks and otaku hotspot lists alike. Erwin snapped a quick picture and saved it to his drafts folder on tumblr before stepping inside.

The shop, despite its dark and unassuming front, was well-lit on the inside, to Erwin’s relief. Though it didn’t appear to have the volume of goods for sale at some of the other stores, what it did have seemed to be well-curated and impeccably organized. The clerk sat behind the register, black hair obscuring his eyes as he idly thumbed through the latest copy of _Bessatsu Shōnen_ _Magazine_.

“Welcome,” he called lazily, not bothering to look up from the serial.

Erwin almost jumped with joy at being directly addressed by another person and offered up loud “konnichiwa” in return. The clerk slowly lowered his magazine, fixing Erwin with a fierce grey-eyed glare and raised eyebrows. Erwin smiled widely in response, hoping for recognition and acknowledgement, but the man simply scoffed quietly and went back to his manga. 

Erwin shrugged off the unsaid insult and began to browse the store. True to what he had read, the shop had some unusual and rare merchandise stocked alongside the scores of mass produced figures and manga volumes. It was clear that the owner had taste and intimately knew his customer base. Within half an hour, Erwin managed to dig up an out-of-production Gundam from the late 1990s, a _Kill la Kill_ Mako figure only available in Japan from an Ichiban Kuji drawing, an _Attack on Titan_ phone case with the Wings of Freedom emblazoned on the back, several keychains, three volumes of doujinshi, and several different clearfiles and limited edition trading cards. The clerk barely batted an eye as he rung up Erwin’s purchases, pausing briefly to glance at his tall, blond customer as he rung up the phone case but otherwise making no effort to interact beyond giving a total price for all Erwin’s new things and asking for payment.

“You speak English?” Erwin asked as he watched the numbers on the register climb higher and higher.

“It wasn’t obvious from my greeting when you walked in?” the man said, no hint of an accent present in his speech. 

“I, erm, I guess it wasn’t,” Erwin stammered, scratching the back of his neck and looking away in embarrassment. 

“Where did you hear of this shop?” he asked, sounding like he was stifling annoyance at the oblivious foreigner in front of him. 

“Me?” Erwin asked dumbly. The cashier simply stared. “Well, I kind of ran across it by accident today, but I had heard of it online previously, and in some of the guidebooks—”

“Ah. Doesn’t surprise me.”

“It doesn’t?”

“If you’re reading about it in English guidebooks and English-speaking forums, why do think that might be?”

“...because the staff speaks English,” Erwin said slowly, connecting the dots and feeling like an idiot for not having done so sooner.

“Congratulations, looks like you’re not a total imbecile after all. That will be 33037 yen, please.”

Erwin nearly balked at the price (and not just because paying in yen made everything seem more costly) but pulled out his wallet all the same, counting out the requested payment in cash and handing it over the counter. The clerk narrowed his eyes and made a small ‘tch’ at the stack of bills, holding a few of the larger ones up to the fluorescent light to determine their authenticity, then gave a small nod as the cash register popped open with a ‘ding’. Erwin let out a sigh, feeling he had passed some kind of test.

“Here’s your change,” the man said, wrinkling his nose as he handed Erwin a small pile of bills and coins. “Enjoy your purchases and have a great day.” With a sniff, he picked up his magazine and flipped back to where he had left off without so much as a goodbye. 

Erwin picked up his bag and started to make his way towards the exit when an intriguing idea crossed his mind. He turned around and headed back towards the register, setting his back delicately on the floor and resting his arms on the counter.

The clerk glanced up from his magazine, incredulity in his gaze. If looks could kill, Erwin would have dropped dead on the spot.

“I’m sorry if this is bothersome,” Erwin asked slowly, swallowing his nervousness, “but I’m assuming that you must know the area, since your shop is here and all, and I was wondering if you had any suggestions of things to see and do? Ones that I might not otherwise come across in a guidebook.”

The clerk lowered his manga. “Do I look like a tourist agency to you?”

“No,” said Erwin, a surge of confidence rippling through him, “and that’s why I thought I would ask.”

“And why should I bother taking up my precious time to help you out?” the man said, magazine lowering a little more. “I have a shop to run and I’m probably not schooled on all the kinds of otaku shit you’re looking for.”

“There’s no one else in the shop right now,” Erwin pointed out, “and who says I’m looking for more otaku-related things to do?”

“Your shirt and the $270 of merchandise you just bought tell me so.”

“Fair,” Erwin conceded, a flush threatening to rise on his neck. “But that’s not all I’m interested in doing.”

“Is it now,” the man said thoughtfully.

“I want to have as close of an authentic Japanese experience as I can while I’m here,” said Erwin, straightening up proudly. “I might be interested in anime and things like that but that’s not all I like and definitely not all of what I’m here to see.”

The clerk snorted. “Come back in with a different outfit on and I might believe you.”

“I thought the shirt would be appropriate for where I was going today,” Erwin said quietly, cheeks beginning to burn.

“You’re not wrong,” the man laughed. “ _Evangelion_ is a good series. And at least it’s not a shirt for some shojo series, either, you know?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Erwin smiled, a little of his confidence coming back. “I’m glad you think so too. What other kinds of series do you like?”

The clerk balked a little at Erwin’s forward questioning. “What makes you think I like other series? Or any, for that matter?”

“I don’t think you can work in a shop catering to otaku in the middle of Akihabara and not like at least a few,” Erwin grinned, calling the grumpy clerk out. “Hey, isn’t that the serial that publishes _SNK_? Do you keep up with that?”

Narrowed grey eyes met Erwin’s at his use of the acronym and the man gestured to the wall behind him, upon which hung five different _Attack on Titan_ wall scrolls.

“I was just asking,” Erwin continued, “because I’ve heard there are a couple _SNK_ exhibits up in the Tokyo area right now and I was wondering if you’d been by any chance and could tell me how they were?”

The man swallowed. He had been to the exhibit at The Ueno Royal Museum thirteen times since it had opened. He did not tell Erwin this.

“I’ve heard it’s worth your money to go if that’s what you wanted to hear. I’m not that big of a fan, I haven’t bothered to see it in person.”

Erwin nodded, cataloguing the words in the back of his mind. “Anything else worth seeing or doing around here?”

“Do you like food?” asked the clerk. “I’m assuming you do, since you’re probably American and everyone has to eat to live.”

Erwin laughed heartily, the sound echoing around the store. “I sure do. Any suggestions?”

Ten minutes later, Erwin had a large list of restaurants, shops, and destinations written down in his phone, organized by distance from his hotel. His Colossal Titan phone charm dangled cheekily as he typed.

“Thank you so much, you don’t know what this means to me,” Erwin said, resisting the urge to bow to the store owner and make a bigger fool of himself. “I’ll make sure to check all of these places out while I’m here.”

“If time permits,” the man amended. “I’m sure you have other things planned.”

“Nah,” said Erwin. “I flew over with very little agenda. I’m open to anything.”

“Hm. Well, best of luck. I hope you enjoy your trip.”

“Thank you, thanks again,” Erwin grinned picking up his bag and walking backwards towards the exit. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”

“Maybe,” the man echoed, waving half-heartedly as Erwin exited the shop. He picked up his manga, a little perturbed by how silent his shop seemed, but was unable to really get into it, thoughts wandering back to a certain blond otaku for the rest of the day.

 


End file.
